Trivia Question: Before this card, when is the last time WCW even came to Albany, GA?

I'm T-Bo (a.k.a. Cager) and back again for my third report to DDT Digest. Previous reports are: December 22, 1997 Nitro in Macon (in house report) and January 2, 1999 house show in Macon.

Well, this is my fourth live show (my first came in 1994, nearly two years before DDT Digest hit the web) and for the fourth time, circumstances prevent me from seeing Ric Flair.

Enough moaning about myself. On to the show...

I arrive at the Civic Center five minutes before the gates open at 6:30. As soon as I get again I locate my fourth row ringside seats and then see what the souvenir stand is selling for astronomical prices. The only thing I end up buying is the WCW magazine, which includes an insert of who they expected to show up tonight.

According to the sheet, they expected the following that eventually didn't show: Sting, Flair, Hugh Morrus, and Brian Knobbs.

WCW did its usual thing of playing theme music before the matches. Several rednecks singing and/or dance to "Disco Fever" and "I Hate Rap".

BTW, rednecks make up 90% of the crowd, which is estimated around 6500.

At 7:20, a new ring announcer that I've never seen before runs down part of tonight's card and gives a few comments:

• Don't throw anything at the ring
• Don't jump the rail
• Flair doesn't have medical clearance to wrestle

The announcement about Flair not able to wrestle made little sense as he was actually scheduled on the lineup card to escort Rick Steiner to the ring. The rednecks booed the announcement anyway, which made less sense, since they would have booed Flair if he showed up.

Quick warning: I'm not good at judging how good house show matches are. I felt the boys all worked hard (except for the main event) and did a good job.

Hardbody Harrison v. C. Palumbo

• The ref is Billy Silverman
• Palumbo's name is copied exactly like it was on the lineup card.
• Wade -- Harrison is announced as being from Pensacola, FL and Palumbo is announced as being from San Diego, CA.
• Harrison does a good job of getting heat with the crowd.
• Hardbody carries the match
• Palumbo hits a savate kick and is your winner

Triple A v. Kid Romeo

• The ref is Charles Robinson
• What is this -- tryout night?
• Triple A is not the same character who appeared on the mental hospital skits earlier this year.
• Romeo resembles a skinnier Rocky Maivia, spurning various "Rocky" chants throughout the match.
• Romeo is a potential talent for the cruiserweight division and displayed some fluidity with his moves
• I see local station Fox 31 at ringside, where they film a tiny bit and intefere a couple of kids who weren't supposed to be where they were sitting.
• Inverted powerbomb by Triple A, and he gets the pin with his feet on the ropes.

Chris Adams & Lash Leroux v. Prince Iaukea & Blitzkrieg

• The ref is Mickey Jay
• Not as much crowd interaction in this once
• Even though three of the four guys are from America, the rednecks start up a "U.S.A." chant.
• Prince Iaukea hits a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge on Leroux and gets the pin

• Ref: Charles Robinson
• Lodi's signs: "We R 2 Much", "We Hate Albany", and "This Town Stinks"
• Wade -- Lodi and Lenny are announced as being from West Hollywood, CA and ICP is announced as being from Detroit
• Lenny & Lodi have their lollipops with them, but are not wearing the set of matching tattoos.
• Rock, paper, scissors contest between Lenny & Lodi to see who starts; Lenny wins
• Lenny & Lodi pull out all the stops and work the gay gimmick to the hilt.
• J or Shaggy (I don't know the difference) hits a rollup on Lenny after running him into Lodi on the top rope to get the win.

• Doug Dellinger signs a few autographs

• Ref: Mickey Jay
• Vince sneak attacks Disco while he dances on the turnbuckles
• Vince feigns leaving
• Disco takes the mic: "Vincent, get your stupid a** back here and let's wrestle."
• Vince does get some offense in and can actually wrestle
• Disco hits a chartbuster for the pin

• Ref: Charles Robinson
• Easily the best-worked match of the card.
• DVD by Saturn for the win

• Ref: Billy Silverman
• DDP gets in a line he's used before: "Don't tell me how to work and I won't go down to Burger King and show you how to dip the fries."
• The patron saint gets in two "fruitbooties"
• All tag matches followed the old formula of the heels dominating and the faces getting the win.
• Ref bump
• Ray rolls up Bigelow, which is reversed by DDP, which is reversed by Booker T
• Silverman wakes up to make the 3 count
• DDP & BBB ask Silverman who won the match twice and both times he says Harlem Heat. For his efforts, he gets the combination Greetings from Asbury Park and a Diamond Cutter
• After beating him up, they ask the ring announcer who won. Smartly, he says they did.

• Ref: Mickey Jay
• Standard Goldberg match in less than two minutes
• Spear, Jackhammer, pin.

Trivia Answer: April 22, 1996. Two weeks of Nitro were filmed that night. The first night had a main event of Sting/Luger v. Giant/Flair and the second week had Giant beating Flair for the world title.